Effect of feeding differently processed Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) cake on the performance of broilers

An experiment was conducted on 288 straight run one day-old broiler chicks (9 diets × 4 replicates × 8 birds) raised on battery brooders to study the effect of feeding variously processed Jatropha cake (JC) on the performance of broilers. Nine isocaloric and isonitrogenous experimental diets were formulated by incorporating graded levels of (0, 5, and 10%) differently processed JC replacing sunflower cake in the corn-soya control diet. The differently processed (Expeller pressed, Expeller pressed cum autoclaved, Solvent extracted, Solvent extracted cum autoclaved) Jatropha cake (DPJC) contained proximate principles ranging from 90.53 93.15, 21.65 - 21.79, 6.62 - 13.39, 41.86 - 48.60, 12.10 - 20.11, 7.29 - 8.21, 0.082 - 0.087 and 0.17 - 0.19% of DM, CP, EE, CF, NFE, total ash, Ca and P respectively. DPJC contained 1947–2197 kcal/ME kg. The different fibre fractions of DPJC as NDF, NDS, ADF, Hemi cellulose, ADL, Cellulose and silica were 58.54–63.28, 36.72–41.60, 47.39–51.22, 34.03–36.78, 10.87–11.75, 14.41–15.58 and 0.300–0.324%, respectively. The graded levels (5 and 10%) of inclusion of DPJC in broiler diets resulted in significantly (P<0.01) lowered BWG than control. Significant differences also observed in FI, livability, carcass yields, weights of visceral organs and length and weight of intestinal segments of broilers. In all the cases, control diet performed better than all of the experimental diets. However, the solvent extracted, autoclaved JC at 5% inclusion level performed better than expeller pressed non-autoclaved diets respectively. The carcass yields declined with increasing level of JC while processing methods like autoclaving, solvent extraction improved the bird performance. It was conclude that JC cannot be included in broiler diets due to the presence of toxins. Solvent extraction and autoclaving partially alleviates the toxic effects of JC.